BIRTH

Born in Ilesha to the family of Pa Josiah Adedeji Adedoyin and Madam Alice Wuraola Adedoyin on the 16^th of July, 1938. He was the second of four children. His father was a cloth seller and a typical Ijesha man (Osomalo), and his mother was a trader in Kolanut and was popularly called “Iya Olobi”. While plying their trade, little Tony had the opportunity of schooling in Ibadan, Zungeru, Minna. This afforded him the opportunity of learning and speaking Nupe and Hausa languages at the time.

EDUCATION

One thing Tony was always proud of was the fortune of having attended a prestigious institution like Titcombe College Egbe, (S.I.M Secondary School) one of the best schools in the North in the pre-independence era. He started his post-secondary education at the Teachers College Yaba now College of Education of the University of Lagos.

He attended these other institutions: 

– University of Ibadan

– University of Toulouse, France (Established in the 7th Century)

– The Sorbonne University in Paris (3 months Course in French, Pedagogy)   

– University of Surrey for his M.sc in Business Studies.

 WORK EXPERIENCE

– He began as a clerk at the Federal Agricultural Research, Ibadan. 

– He taught French & English at Eko Boys High School Lagos, City College Yaba, Ansarudeen High School Surulere, and Badagry Grammar School. He was later an Inspector of Education, Lagos State. 

– He worked for Festac ’77 as a French/English translator

– He went to work at the Nigerian Hotels Ltd as an English-French Teacher from there he went to train at the Ecole Hotelière des Peyreneés, Toulouse, France.

– He later became the Principal at Nigeria Hotels Limited (NHL) Training School, General Manager of some units under the NHL umbrella including the popular Ikoyi Hotel, Bristol Hotel and Metropolitan Hotel Group, Calabar and later rose to the position of the Director of Personnel and finally resigned to concentrate on Marketing Research on a full time basis.

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Tony Adedoyin started research as a part-time recruiter for RMS and later for Market Behavior Ltd U.K under Mary Goodyear who is a Past International President of ESOMAR. Through the advice of Mary Goodyear and the support of K.A Tejumola, his childhood friend, Tony set up his company, Marketing Support Services Ltd in 1983. The company operated from his sitting-room until 1996 when he moved to a bigger office. Through the influence and support of MBL, Tony Adedoyin soon started working in virtually all the French-speaking countries of Africa South of the Sahara. He worked mostly in Senegal, Ivory Coast, Niger, Togo, Benin, Cameroon, Gabon and later extended to Bostwana, Madagascar, Angola, Mozambique, Kenya and Uganda. His company’s enrolment as an ESOMAR member was a great boost and reference point.

TONY’S PASSION

In his early days as far back as 1961, he enrolled as a ballroom dancer; during the time he was at the College of Education, and also at the University of Ibadan, he was very popular as a ballroom dance instructor and participated in dance competitions. After the civil war, ballroom dancing disappeared from Nigeria.

He loved mixing socially with both old and young. He was a member of the Ikoyi Club 1938. He enjoyed golf, swimming and table-tennis. He was a member of the Lions’ Clubs International. He rose to the position of District Governor for the whole of Nigeria in 1997. He attended over 20 International Convention in all continents of the world except South America. He was an active member till he went home to be with His maker.

MINISTRY

He not only had a passion for Humanity but he also loved God. He was an Elder in The Apostolic Church (TAC) where he was the Chairman of the Building Committee. He was also an active member of a prayer group known as the Mount of the Rock of Ages.

FAMILY

He was married to Most Senior Apostolic Mother Olusola Adedoyin, who is a retired Chief Nursing Officer of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. They are blessed with four daughters; Toyin, Kemi, Bukola and Wuraola and four sons: Ayodeji, Timothy, Adedayo and Tope and ten grandchildren; Toluwalase (Olusegun I), Amioluwa, Vania, Aboluwarin (Olusegun II), Joshua (Olusegun III), Toluwanimi (Olusegun IV) Joseph (Olusegun V), Ayanfe (Olusegun VI), Oluwadarasimi and Jeremiah (Olusegun VII).

CHARACTER

He was known to be broadminded, kind, humble and honest. He was a professional to the core and was reputable for his ability to always deliver on his job with integrity. He was known in many quarters as the life of the party, some of his old school mates call him ‘Mr. personality’ as he takes great pride in being well dressed and groomed. He was a highly talented man who wore many hats but of course like every Ilesha man, Tony had the tendency to be strong-willed and set in his ways.

For most part of his life, TONY enjoyed a very healthy life and for that he and his family are truly grateful to God. He was snatched away from this wicked world by the cold hands of death on the 4^th of November, 2020 after suffering a cardiac arrest. He will be sorely missed yet loved as he was dear to the hearts of many.

 Sun re oo Baba rere!!

 Omo owa, omo ekun, omo bokun remi,

Ijesha tio je obi oju loro, omo du apona da,

Ijesha omo eleni ate iika, Omo eleni ewele.

Omo olobi kan wowotiriwo, omo olobikan wowotiriwo,

Eyi tofe teni awo seru eni, eyi tio fe teni awo sinu igbo,

Omo Ogedengbe, agbogun gboro, adi pon pon l’oju ogun.